The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-14
Facts and Figures Showing that Saloons Are
Not Absolutely Necessary to the Promo
ton Of the Welfare Of Communities.
An Official Statement Giving Some Re-
suits Of the Experiment in Kansas.
Gov. Martin Claims the State Is Enjoying the
Most Wonderful Era of Prosperity Ever
Known on the American Continent.
CHICAGO. July 1a-Ths following was received

STATE OF KANSAS, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT., I
TOPEKA July IL. 1887. 5
f"To william Henry Smith. General Manager of th'
my Dear Sr-On the I'd Of July inst.
special desp atch was sent from St Joseph, Mo.
TO a Chicago paper. In which it was stated that
cut of the most profitable source of revenue
amounting to thousands of dollars a year,
and as result the city has not rev
ende to keep going; that the police force.
With the exception of the marshal
and one policeman. had been suspended;
that the services of the fremen were to be dis-
tpensed with and that the gas and electric lights
were to be shut of. This dispatch was utilized
BY the Associated Press, and thus published in
all parts Of the country. AS result, have re-
eeived many letters from different sections max
ing inquiries to the truth of the statement it
mbodied, and have seen its alleged facts COM
mented on in dozens of newspapers evidence
porous city in Kansas to the verge of bank
ruptcy. Similar letters have been received by
the Mayor of Atchison and by many other cities
OF Kansas. The dispatch referred to was
prompted by two motives 1t first sent
from town in Missouri for the purpose of in
juring rival city in Kansas; and second, it was
inspired by the whisky interest, and intended TO
create the impression that efficient city gov
erament could not be maintained without the
revenue derived from licenses. The
city Of Atchison has been. for many
railroad and commercial centers of Kansas. It
has a population of about 25 900 people If the
whisky interest could create the impression that
Atchison had been materially injured because
the saloons had been driven ont of it, a serious
blow would be dealt the temperance cause. The
Associated Press, in giving this false special such
of q malicious slanderer, whose purposes were
as unworthy as his statements were unfounded.
deem it my duty to correct the false impress
stems thus created. and respectfuliy
a publication as the dispatch which
prompted it. 1 am thoroughly familiar
with the condition of the city of Atchison, and
personally know that the statements embodied
in the St Joseph dispatch false and mislead-
ing The gas, electric lights and water supply of
The city have never been turned off. Its fire
department has been. and is, continuously on
duty. It's police force has been largely reduced.
but has, in the absence of the saloons been
ample to preserve the peace and protect the
property of its citizens. local dispute con-
adoption of a tax which has been collected in
the city of St Joseph for many years past, is the
only foundation for the malicious and untruth-
ful dispatch from that place.
Atchison abolished the last of its saloons in the
fall of 1886 The whisky interests prophesied
that this action would seriously injure the bust
ness OF the city. 1t has had no such effect
Atchison is more prosperous to day =. than it has
been for many years past Its wholesale trade
aggregated over $40, 900, 600 in 1856, and during
the first six months of 1887 this trade has in
creased fully thrtv three per cent over that for
the corresponding six months of 1886
All the principal streets of the city
provements are being made, and more buildings
being erected In Atchison this year than
during any previous year In It's history. Ten
important lines of railway center in the city,
and the Southern Kansas railway has Just ex-
tended it's line to Atchison. The central shops
of the Missouri Pacific road have recently been
located there; the largest lumber yard in the
West has recently been established there, and
many other important commercial and manu-
featuring industries have been located there
during the past six months. Better than ALL
fnn hnn drodc of nda of dnll Pa hat
formerly wasted in the saloons now expend-
ed in feeding, clothing and housing the people,
and as result, thousands OF wives and children
in Atchison who were living in poverty few
years ago are now prosperous. happy and con-
tented
This St. Joseph dispatch is only fair speci-
ments / have seen published in the newspapers
of the country during the past three four
years concerning Kansas and Kansas towns. The
whisky interests predicted that the abolition of
saloons in Kansas would injuriously affect the
material prosperity of the State, and falsehoods
intended to confirm this view constantly in
vented and circulated in every section of the
country, and especially in States whore move
merts are being made to Danish the saloons. /
am receiving letters daily from different States,
making inquiries concerning the effects and re-
suits or our temperance laws on the financial,
commercial. and other material interests of our
State and these letters all indicate that the work
of maligning Kansas is going on in every section
of the country. Permit me, therefore, to give you
the real facts
1.-The prohibition amendment to our constitu-
ton was adopted in the autumn of 1880, and the
first laws to enforce it went into effect in May,
1881 The war to Danish the saloons was for
some years, only partially successful. The
had been adopted by a very meagre
and public sentiment in all our larger
cities was overwhelmingly against is. AS late
as January, 1885, saloons were open in fully
thirty Of the larger cties oil Kansas. including
Topeka, the capital of the State. But steadily
and surely the public sentiment against them
spread and intensified The small majority that
had voted for the ament ment was reinforced.
first. by those law-respecting citizens who are
al ways willing to subordinate personal opinions
TO the majesty of law; and second. by
equally large number. who, observing the prac-
teal rrsuts following the abolition of saloons in
different cities and towns. became convinced
that Kansas would be a more prosperous. happy,
and in all respects better community of peo-
pie IL it had not an open saloon within its bor-
iers. So the sentiment of Kansas against the
liquor traffic has grown and strengthened until
to-day very much doubt whether. of its 300,
boo male voters, more than 70. 000lwould, if they
could, invite back and reinstate the saloon.
lone argument of the whisky interest viz
That saloons promote the prosperity and growth
Of communities. has been answered in Kansas.
By the convincing logic of facts. In 1880 the
OF this State, as shown by the CEN
sus was 996. 096; in March. 1886, shown by the
State census, it was 406 1888; and ir ia fully
]. 65O. 600. In 1880 Kansas had only 3, 1O4 miles
nf railway within her borders; the first Of
March last the State Board of Railroad Assess
ors reported 6,20S miles for taxation, and from
DuO TO SUI miles VIII be added to this aggregate
before the close Of the year. In 1880 the assessed
value Of all the real AID personal property of the
State aggregated only Sl60, sol $685. on the lst of
March. 1856. the total s277. SIS, 1863, and for
The recent fiscal year the returns thus far re-
.eived indicate total of $500 600 00O In 1880
here were 5,3l5 school-houses, 2514 churches
Ind 3f7 newspapers in Kansas There now
uly $500 school houses, 3. 500 churches and 700
newspapers. In 1880 only ffty-fve towns and
rites had populations in excess of 900 each; in
1887 more than 200 towns have each over 1000
fully twenty-five have each over
! 000 and four have each over 90 0OO In 1880
'ny 8,66800 acres were planted in crops: this
rear the area planted exceeds 16, 000. 900 acres.
n 1880 the value of the farm products OF Kansas
vas only SS4. 42l, 900; for 1886 their value was
,yer 1904 900. 900. For the fiscal year Of 1880 |
he percentage of State taxation was 81 mille; |
or the present fiscal year the total percentage |
evied fer all State purposes is only Al mills. |
during the past two years and a half / have
anized seventeen counties in the western |
ion Of the State, and census-takers have been |
appointed for four other counties, leaving only |
wo counties remaining TO be organized. The |